Dear Teachers,

First let us thank you for seeking out information about 22q Deletion Syndrome (also known as VCFS, or DiGeorge).  We obviously couldn't tell you everything on a web page but below you will find a great place to start.  "A Teachers Reference for 22Q Deletion Syndrome".  Please take some time to understand the common hurdles young people diagnosed with this disorder must face.  We know nobody knows better than a teacher, just how unique each child is and we hope this reference will give you a few pearls of wisdom about 22q.  If you would like to speak with a teacher who has practical experience with students diagnosed with 22q Deletion Syndrome, please contact info@22qfamilyfoundation.org.

22q Deletion Syndrome in the Classroom -A Teachers Guide

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This information is provided by GEMSS -Genetics Education Materials for School Success: The New England Genetics Collaborative is funded by Cooperative Agreement No. U22MC10980 between the University of New Hampshire and the Health Resources and Services Administration/ Maternal and Child Health Bureau/DSCSHN Genetic Services Branch.  To vistit the GEMMS website CLICK HERE

What You Need To Know

1. Most children (90%) with 22q deletion experience some degree of developmental disability with delayed speech and language development as the most consistent feature.

2. In formal standardized testing, most school aged children have a full scale IQ in the category of borderline intellectual disability (full scale IQ of 71-85).

3. A school aged child with 22q deletion will typically have an unusual neuropsychological profile with a significantly higher verbal IQ than performance IQ with strengths and weaknesses suggestive of a nonverbal learning disorder.

Common strengths

• Simple, focused attention
• Rote verbal learning and memory
• Ability to remember well-encoded information
• Spelling and grammar
• Computer skills
• Word processing speed
• Kinesthetic abilities (such as dance or karate) However, low muscle tone is common.
• Rhythm and musical talent
• Willingness to learn

Common difficulties

• Language – both receptive and expressive language
• Visual-spatial skills & memory
• Non-verbal processing
• Abstract reasoning
• Fine and gross motor skills
• Executive and adaptive functioning
• Social & emotional functioning, including high levels of anxiety
• Complex verbal memory
• Working & encoding memory
• Reading comprehension

At Home Progress Monitoring Chart (Click Here)

At Home Data Collection Chart (Click Here)